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New to pumping...

My baby girl just turned 6 months old today & I need to learn how to pump. I have no clue about how to start. I don't know if I should just start out by pumping once a day or should I pump a few times a day, and at what time? Should I pump after I get her down for the night or would I not really have that much milk left at that time?! My main concern is to not pump out one of her feedings, since I don't know how she will respond to the bottle & could then be left hungry. I would appreciate any additional tips regarding anything a first time pumper should know! Thanks in advance! Melissa

Re: New to pumping...

What are you pumping for? Are you going back to work and want to accumulate milk for your first day back? If so, when are you going back to work? Or do you want to be able to give her an occasional bottle while you do something apart from baby? Has baby ever taken a bottle?

Re: New to pumping...

I'd like to pump to give her the occasional bottle from daddy at home, or for grandma to give her so that my husband & I could go out. She has never taken a bottle, but we have already purchased everything we need to start.

Re: New to pumping...

One way to do it is to pump after a morning feed, when you have the most milk. But since your goal is only to have an occasional bottle now and then, I think you could pump whenever is most convenient for you. Once a day should be fine, you don't want to get into an oversupply situation. Don't be surprised if you don't get too much out, though. Often when mamas first start pumping, especially if it's right after a feed, they might get half an ounce or an ounce. Once you have a couple ounces pumped and chilled, you can combine and freeze for when you go out. When you do go out, you should replace any missed feedings with a pumping session, then you can store that milk for the next time you go out. Typically babies will drink 1 to 1.5 ounces per hour apart from mom, so if you're going out for only a few hours, you only need a few ounces for that outing. Since your baby is already 6 months old - don't be surprised if she is resistant to the bottle! She may just wait for you to come home.

When I started pumping (when baby was 6 wks old), I was trying to build a freezer stash for once I returned to work, so I pumped once per day and froze it all -- but you might pump less frequently since you are just wanting the occasional bottle. I pumped in the morning, because that's when I felt fullest (most moms feel fullest in the AM, but if you feel fullest at a different time, pump then). Personally, I would nurse the baby for his morning feed, then put him in his swing for a nap, and then pump. However there are several ways to do it: you can nurse then pump directly following feeding; nurse then wait a little and pump sort of halfway between feedings; or you can nurse baby on one side while you pump on the other (the baby's nursing will help stimulate a let down). You might have to experiment to find what's best for you.

I don't think you have to worry too much about "pumping out her feeding and baby being left hungry" -- your breasts are never really empty, there is always milk, but baby might just have to work a bit harder to get it. So if your baby is hungry sooner than you expected, and you pumped very recently, she just won't get quite as big of a feeding at that particular moment -- but then your body will get the cue to make more milk, and baby will nurse again soon, and she'll be fine

Re: New to pumping...

Thanks for the feedback bfwmomof3 & mercy street! I also have another concern, though. I used to have an oversupply issue when she was an infant & got it under control then. I still continue to breastfeed from one breast for each feeding & only switch breasts 2 times a day, 3 if she's very hungry that particular day. Should I only pump from the one breast I just fed her with? And is there anything, besides pumping only once a day that I should be aware of, as being prone to oversupply? Thanks!